


What Lies Between The Castle Walls

by Nosilverlining



Category: 5 Seconds of Summer (Band), 5SOS
Genre: Alternate Universe, Castles and swords and armor, Fancy gowns and dress coats and trousers, I really have no idea what I'm doing but this has been in my head for so long, Knight Michael, Lots of confusion and feelings, M/M, Overbearing Parents, Prince Luke, Roughly set in the late medieval period but it's whatever honestly, Royal Hemmings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-05-11
Packaged: 2018-05-31 08:21:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,374
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6462859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nosilverlining/pseuds/Nosilverlining
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luke is a struggling prince who needs to get married, have kids, and eventually rule the kingdom. Michael is a poor boy dubbed knight who just can't stop complicating everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 0

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first boyxboy thing I've ever written. The whole style of nobility and royalty is loosely based off of Game of Thrones but should be easy to understand. This part is just setting the tone, the rest should be more interesting!

Luke had struggled with the idea of being prince since he was old enough to know the difference between royalty and commonfolk. He loathed the idea that because of the simple fact that Hemmings blood coursed through his veins, he was better than every single person in the entire kingdom. He didn’t understand what made him so different from the many butchers', blacksmiths', or cooks' sons and daughters. In his eyes, the only thing that separated him from those people was that they lived outside the castle walls, locked away in the depths of tiny, dirty houses and filthy streets. 

Because he was The King’s son, he was royalty. It was as simple as that. The others weren’t so lucky. His mother and father saw it differently, they despised the “small folk,” thought that they weren’t worth the ground they lived on. Luke wasn’t to ever have contact with those types of children. Only the sons and daughters of High Lords were worthy to be around Prince Luke. The type of children who had to wear fine silk dresses and the finest coats and trousers to play. He didn’t care about that stuff, he just wanted to have fun.

Not that he got to do much playing, Luke was constantly bombarded with responsibilities. From a young age he was required to learn all the duties of a King because one day, the entire kingdom would be his to rule. He had to do his school courses every day, learning everything there was to know about every house in the kingdom. He was forced to sit in on council meetings to learn the rhyme and order of leading. He had to memorize battle tactics and strategies for the days when he would be using them himself. He was forced to learn to fight with a sword and also bow and arrow. He had to hunt, proving that “he was a man who could provide for his family.” He was taught the greetings and proper mannerisms of how to deal with people because being royalty meant seeing a lot of people. Some things proved to be harder to learn than others. Perhaps the hardest lesson of all was the one his father found the simplest: court a Lady and wed her, producing an heir. 

At age 18, Luke had grown into himself. He towered over 6 feet tall, his build lean and thin but still holding some thickness in areas like his thighs and belly. His hair was ash blond, quiffing up slightly in the front framing his pale face. He had eyes of the brightest ocean blue, not that he’d ever seen the open water. He was handsome, surprisingly so. In fact, he often found himself the receiver of offers and proposals from Ladies all over the kingdom, ranging from walks in the garden to one night stands to marriage. He’d heard every offer he could think of but never one he wanted to accept. Lords all over were begging to have their daughters married to The Prince and be able to become the next Queen so tons of money, land, and deals of all kinds were in it for the royal family if Luke accepted. The only problem was that Luke wasn’t interested.

If he’d have thought about it four days ago, Luke would have been clueless as to why. He often laid in bed at night wondering why all his friends talked about the Ladies they saw or going to visit brothels for the first time, but he’d never developed that interest. He thought maybe something was wrong with him, maybe he didn’t have those types of feelings inside of him, perhaps he was just different. Then he decided it was because he was so busy, he didn’t have time for courting a Lady or going to brothels, he was constantly doing something for his father or training for a battle. He wrote it off as something to deal with later and forgot about it. Until four days ago.

Four days ago Luke was sitting on his throne in the main hall, bored to tears waiting for the day’s events to be done with. He was beyond exhausted, huge bags under his eyes and his stomach rumbling for food. He was slouched, his butt nearly hanging off the edge of his seat. His maroon coat and pants were dirty from sword training earlier in the day. Just like every other day, he couldn’t wait to be finished with the mundane tasks that being royalty required of him. 

The King stood up, looking at the head of the royal guard. His dark gray hair was thinning, a bald spot peeking through the top of his head. “Our last event of the day is an exciting one at the least. Adding a new knight to the guard is never something to be taken lightly. It’s not often we hear of such a noble swordsman so it’s only right we welcome him to our kingsguard. Welcome Michael of the newly honored House Clifford!” King Hemmings announced to the crowd with his loud, booming voice. 

Luke didn’t pay any attention as the gentleman walked forward in his shiny armor, a large sword in his hand. When he made it to the front, he promptly removed his helmet to reveal his face. His long, raven colored hair swept across his face as he bowed to the crowd then turned back to face the royal family.

“It is my privilege to announce Lord Clifford as the new personal guard for Prince Luke. Take your oath son.” King Hemmings declared, looking at Luke with a proud look on his face.

Luke instantly sat up straight in his chair, trying to look his best for the guard about to take his oath before him. As the raven haired boy got down on his knees and placed his sword on the ground before Luke, he looked up at him, his emerald green eyes locking with the ocean blue orbs in front of him. Luke’s heart stopped and a whole new world began.


	2. 1

Luke spent four days in perpetual thought about everything he once thought he had known about himself, about his very existence. He was lost, confused, puzzled at what he didn’t even really know much about. 

On one hand, nothing actually happened. The only thing he knew for sure was that when he looked into Michael’s eyes, he felt something inside of him that he’d never experienced before. It was like an entirely new side of him had awoken and it had been sleeping for his entire life. On the other hand, he had a knack for being dramatic. Maybe the position he was sitting in knocked the breath out of him and that’s why he couldn’t breathe for a solid 10 seconds after first looking at the raven haired gentleman. Maybe he was so hungry that it knocked his insides loose and it caused a crazy reaction to rise up inside of him and that’s why he felt that strange feeling he’d never felt before. He tried to make sense of it with the most obscene, irrational ideas he could think of but at the end of the day, it was absolutely crazy.

He didn’t know why he felt so strongly towards someone he had only saw once and why his attraction or whatever it was he was feeling would remain dormant for eighteen years before suddenly popping up. To be honest, he didn’t really know much of anything. He was utterly clueless.

Now was also not a good time to spend every waking moment questioning his entire life, seeing as he had more responsibilities than ever. Not to mention the fact that the castle would be hosting a wedding soon and his father was constantly drilling him about which Lady he was inviting to accompany him. On top of all that, a few Houses in the East had been causing trouble for weeks and were threatening to rebel against the King, an added stress that was putting everyone on their toes. 

He just wanted to compact everything deep inside and forget about it. Ignore the new discovery that could possibly, totally, definitely, actually be nothing and forget it. He was good at that. He knew how to repress things, feelings, make it like they never happened. But this, this was harder. He had to try a lot harder to forget about something that had awoken from the depths of his very soul. Although, he did fairly well. He almost completely tuned the entire thing out, went on with his life like nothing had ever happened. 

Until it was the night before Michael was supposed to officially move into the castle. Three and a half long days after the soul-awakening moment, he was in bed. He was laying in his blankets and he had to admit that he was fairly nervous. A plethora of emotions were plaguing him but worry ranked above all. He was worried about meeting Michael again, worried about being alone with him, worried about what he was like, worried about seeing him in his armor every day, he was worried. His stomach churned with an unknown feeling and he was afraid he was getting sick. As he laid to fall asleep, he thought about the dark haired boy and how his eyes sparkled like emeralds, how his lips were hot pink and plump. It was hard to think about anything else. 

Three booming taps on his chamber door woke Luke from his peaceful sleep and he jolted into an upright sitting position. He looked around to see the light shining brightly through his windows, the morning sun shining high in the sky. 

“Come in!” He shouted towards the door after clearing his throat. 

A small, light haired handmaiden quickly entered the room carrying a wooden tray clad with plates full of food. She flashed a smile at him before speaking. “Morning Prince Luke. The kitchen offers you your favorite breakfast this morning. I also washed your favorite linens yesterday so they’re ready for wearing today.”

He smiled back at her, giving her a soft nod. “Thank you, I appreciate it. That’ll be all for now.”

After scarfing down his huge plate of food, he dressed in his black coat intricately lined with gold trim paired with matching trousers. If there was a perk to being royalty, it was the clothing. Luke then readied his hair and prepared for his day. He had a council meeting and some studying to do in the library before attending the events in the main hall, an unusually usual day’s agenda. He grabbed his longsword and headed out his door, completely shocked to see a knight standing outside his chambers.

“Um, hello? I’m not sure why you’re standing here sir but I can assure you, it’s not needed.” Luke spoke quickly. 

The gentleman reached up to remove their helmet, black hair revealing. “Sorry Prince, Father’s orders. I’m your new personal guard, remember? We’re doing everything together from now on.” He spoke with a smirk.

“Oh, yeah, right, great. How long have you been standing out here?”

Michael looked around the empty stone halls, “A while.”

“Okay well, I have to be at a council meeting like now.” He said as he started on a brisk walk. Michael placed his helmet back on his head and followed suit behind him. 

He did this exact routine the entire day, silently following behind Luke, just a few steps away. Whether he was sitting at a table during a meeting or talking to an eager small child outside on the way to the library, Michael was always there. It was kind of comforting having one of the best fighters in the entire kingdom at his side all day.

When the day’s events were done and Luke finished dinner, Michael escorted the blond back to his room, holding the large wooden chamber door open for him as he entered his quarters. Luke turned to face him, a little shocked to see he had removed his helmet. For only the second time ever, they met eyes and the prince was completely engulfed with feelings that were beginning to become familiar. 

“Uh, well, uh, I guess that’s all for today then. Thanks for guarding me?” Luke stuttered, not quite knowing what to say to the knight before him. He felt foolish for thanking him for doing his job but the words spit out before he could stop them. 

“My pleasure, Prince Luke. I’ll be standing out here for a while longer if, you know, you need anything.” 

“Please, just call me Luke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story is a little slow so far so forgive me but I'm just laying down the groundwork. I promise it'll pick up! Let me know how you're liking it this far! I think I'll be updating once a week for a while until the semester is over. Thanks for reading!!


	3. 2

Starting his day with a meeting with his father was not ideal for Luke. He generally tried to avoid his family at all costs, and while that made him sound like a horrible person, it’s just the truth. He did his best to keep to himself and only see the King and Queen if absolutely necessary, which they both realized. This meant that him being demanded to a meeting first thing in the morning probably wasn’t going to be good. 

He arrived to his father’s office and took a seat in the chair in front of the desk, anxious to hear of what he could possibly want this time. The King’s gray hair was rather disheveled, his golden crown laid down on the desk beside him. His red robe was particularly gaudy and Luke internally rolled his eyes every time he saw the outfit. The older man proceeded to sift through some papers taking his sweet time before even acknowledging that his son was in the room.

“Good morning Luke,” the King spoke after clearing his throat loudly. “Did you sleep well last night? The breeze that flew in from the east really helped cool down my chambers.”

“Um, yeah. I slept pretty great actually, better than I have in a while.” He answered, looking down at his lap to avoid his father as much as possible. And it was true, he had been sleeping much better lately.

“Good to hear. It’s important for a young Prince like you to be well rested, you’ve got a lot of responsibilities.” He paused a second before continuing. “How’s your new guard? Are you happy with his service so far? If not I can dismiss him and find someone more suitable.”

Luke immediately responded, his head perking up to make eye contact with the King. “Oh, no. I’m very happy with his service. No trouble whatsoever. He’s much better than Garrett was by a mile.”

“Really?” The King questioned with a raised eyebrow, obviously surprised. “I was a little worried about hiring someone so young and new to this… life but his skill was clear and it seemed only fair to take the chance on him. I hope he continues to satisfy and take his duty seriously.”

Unsure what to say, Luke nodded his head in agreement with his father’s words even if he didn’t fully agree. He found out years ago that it was easier to smile and nod than to argue. 

The King peered down through the piles of paper on his desk and began to sort through them, picking out one in particular. He looked over it for a minute before turning it around and handing it to Luke. The blond stared down at the page in his hand, confused. It was a letter from the Lord of House Stern talking about the marriage proposal between his son and another Lady and then it later goes on to ask if they could hold their wedding at the royal castle. 

“What exactly am I supposed to be gathering from this?” Luke maintained, a confused look on his face as he studied the paper.

“That’s the letter from Lord Stern about having his son’s wedding here. Do you remember that we agreed he could do that?” 

The young Prince looked up at his father with narrow eyes, scooting back in his seat. “Yes, of course I remember agreeing to that arrangement. It was only a few weeks ago.”

The King leaned back in his seat as well, looking down on Luke with his dark eyes. “Do you also recall that you need a date to said wedding? A Lady to accompany you to the event?”

Luke’s mind starting filling with the sound of panic. He couldn’t describe what that sound was, but that’s the only word he could use to describe it. He tried to keep a calm face even though he just wanted to scream. “Mhm, I do remember that as well. Like I said, it was only a few weeks ago.”

“You’ve never really had to take dates anywhere, rather we’ve never forced you. Most gentlemen your age have already started courting Ladies but I understand that you’re busy. You’ve got a lot on your plate.” He lowered his tone, his voice deep. “You still have to take a Lady to this wedding, do you understand me? As your father and your King, you must remember that it’s your duty.”

“What’s the big deal? You’re acting like it’s some huge ordeal whether or not I take a Lady to this wed-” Luke tried to say but before he could finish his sentence, he was cut off. 

“It is a huge ordeal Luke!” The King shouted. His booming voice startling Luke. “Everyone in this entire Kingdom is watching us. They’re all watching and waiting for us to fall, for us to mess up. You’re next in line, you’re ruling next and you must have no faults. It is far time for you to become a man and start a family whether you want to or not and that’s the end of this discussion. The wedding is in two days, find a date by then.”

Shocked and startled, Luke muttered a quiet, “Okay.” 

Silence filled the room. Complete and utter silence so quiet that Luke could hear the pattering of people walking through the halls outside the room. He looked up at the gray haired man waiting for a sign to leave, receiving a single nod of the head. He took that as his signal and he slowly got up from his chair, looking back once before exiting the room. 

His entire demeanor had changed as he trekked from that office along the stone path to his chamber. That was the first time his father had raised his voice at him since he was a child. And more than that, he was serious. Luke had kind of brushed it off when he said he needed a date, put in the back of his mind and only thought of it a couple of times. Now he has to actually go through with it. A million thoughts ran through his mind as he trotted back to his room, his face expressionless and his broad shoulders slumped. 

He zoned out, a walking zombie as he made it back to his chambers, completely ignoring any activities he was supposed to be doing for the day. His eyes were only focused on making it back to his bed, so much so that he missed Michael standing guard outside his door and asking him if he was okay as walked full force into his room and shut the door. 

If it had been a few days prior, Luke wouldn’t have reacted so negatively to being forced to take a Lady to the wedding. He really wouldn’t have. He wouldn’t have been happy because to be honest, the Ladies all kind of got on his nerves a little but he was friends with a few so it would be fine. No, what bothers him now is that he’s come to a completely new realization. He’s found this side of him that’s scary and unsure and confusing and kind of exciting and that side of him doesn’t take Ladies to weddings and get married and have kids like every other Prince in the history of ever has done, like his parents are forcing him to do. 

As he slowly sunk down onto his bed, he pulled his knees up to his chest and closed his eyes, just wanting to forget about being Prince for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm really sorry that I haven't updated in a while. I know nobody wants to hear excuses but I had a ton of end of semester essays and then finals. To top it all off, my grandmother passed away about two weeks ago. It's been really hectic but I should be back on schedule now. Thanks for reading and sticking around! I hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
